Remote control device for motor vehicle door locks



E. PENNELL Feb. 11, 1969 Filed May 27. 1966 FIG.

PEN/VELL By jrum ATTORNEY United States Patent ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A motor vehicle provided with an opening on the side remotefrom the driver, a door hinged to said side to close or afford access tosaid opening, said door having latch means to hold it locked, internalmeans for rendering said latch means selectively operable or inoperable,local control means connected to said internal means and disposed on theinner side of said door, and a push-pull cable traversing the distancefrom a knob on one end to said latch means while passing under thedashboard, through the upper door hinge and through said door, foreffecting a similar control of said latch means from the drivers side ofsaid vehicle.

The invention relates to door locks for motor vehicles and, moreparticularly, to mechanical means to safely and conveniently lock and/orunlock the present existing door located on the opposite side of thevehicle from the operator or driver.

The purpose of the invention is to enable the car user, upon unlockingone door from the outside with a key and opening this door, to releasethe interiorly operated lock on an opposite door without moving from hislocation at the first named door.

My invention is not intended to open or close a vehicle door but toactuate the pushbutton control device of the presently existing doorlock. It thus permits a vehicle to be locked and/or unlocked with a keyfrom the outside in the presently existing normal fashion and usualpushbutton door lock operator to be manually moved to lock and/ orunlock the door.

My invention thus in no way interferes with or alters the presentlyexisting normal operation of a door lock and/ or push button operatortherefor, but is adaptable to any presently existing car door lockmechanism.

An object of my invention is to permit the operator of the vehicle toconveniently and safely lock and/or unlock the opposite door.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description when taken with the accompanyingdrawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for the purposesof illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention,reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts inthe several views:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the interior of a motorvehicle embodying my invention, with the remote front door in closedposition.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of that part of thevehicle adjacent to top hinge of the front door of FIGURE 1, said doorbeing in open position.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of the interior of the lockmeans for the door of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on the line IV-IV ofFIGURE 3, in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the motor vehicle, carrying anembodiment of my invention, is designated 11.

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It is provided with a door opening closable by a door 12 pivotallyconnected to the vehicle 11 by means including an upper hinge 13 with apivot pin 14. Said door 12 has lock or latch means generally designated15 for holding it closed.

The latch means 15 of the present embodiment comprises an angularescutcheon plate .16 secured to the door :12 by suitable means, notshown. Said plate comprises a first part 17 which overlies the freeedge, and a second part 18 extending at a right angle thereto andoverlying the inner surface, of the door 12. A pivot pin 19 extendsthrough said part 17. The end portion of said pin may fixedly carry alatch bolt or locking device 20 in the form of a gear, desirablyshrouded, if the latch mechanism is generally as disclosed in theCockburn et a1. Patent No. 2,871,049, as here contemplated. The pin 19carries a locking ratchet, cam or similar device 21 on its inner end.The latch 20 hooks over or otherwise lockingly engages a conventionalstud, keeper or other cooperating lock member (not shown) carried by thedoor post (not shown) of the car which is adjacent the free edge of thedoor 12 when closed.

A pawl or detent lever 22 of angular form is provided with a returnspring 23, the intermediate portion of which is coiled about the pin 24which pivots the pawl to the first part 17. One end portion of thespring resiliently engages the nearly horizontal arm 25 of said pawl 22to urge the depending portion 26 thereof into locking engagement withsaid ratchet or cam 21. The other end of the spring 23 is held in astressed condition biasing the lock operator or lever 28 clockwise, byengaging a notched portion of a lug 27 formed on the lower end of a pawllock operator 28. The lock operator 28 is pivoted to the part 17, asindicated by a stud at 29 and to a pawl lock 31 by a pivot memberindicated at 32.

The pawl lock or intermittent lever 31 has a lower arm 33 which when inlowered position lockingly engages the top of the detent lever or pawl22 and an upper arm 34 which carries a lug 35 operatively received in aslot 36 in a flange 37 outstanding from a pawl look operating plate 38.A pin 39 pivotally connects this plate 3 8 to the second part 18. Inaccordance with conventional practice, the plate 38 may be turnedcounterclockwise by depressing the usual interior locking button 40mounted on a generally vertical suitably guided rod 41, the lower end ofwhich connects with the lower arm of a bell-crank lever 42, to rotate itclockwise about its supporting pivot 43, said pivot 43 outstands fromthe second part 18, and the lever 42 has an upstanding arm provided withan outstanding lug 44 received in a notch 45 in the lower edge of saidplate.

This counterclockwise movement of the plate 38, pulls the right-hand endof the pawl lock 31 down to cause its lower arm 33 to engage or closelyapproach the top of the locking pawl 22, as shown in dotted lines inFIGURE 3. It thereby holds it in a position, such as that illustrated,where the depending portion 26 thereof prevents the ratchet 21 fromturning, whereby the latch means 15 is held locked.

In the structure here shown, the latch means 15 may be locked orunlocked by a key inserted from outside the vehicle. Turning of the keyeffects a swinging of the lever 46 about its pivot 47, resulting in arocking of the plate 38 through the action of a connecting link 48,similar to that which could be effected by the button 40.

As will be understood, the latch means 15 may also be unlocked by inwardmovement of a conventional push button (not shown) on the outside doorhandle (not shown) which swings the pawl lock operator 28 inward orclockwise about its pivot 29 and effects movement of pawl lock 31 to theright. When the button 40 is up or in lockrelease position, thismovement also effects a clockwise turning of the pawl lifter 49, aboutits pivot '50, as the lower arm 33 is then in line with the angularportion 51, on the top of the upstanding portion 52 of said lifter. Thismovement causes the pawl 22 to be lifted clear of the ratchet 21 by theclockwise swinging of the left-hand lug 52' which effects acorresponding raising of the overlying portion 53 of said ratchet.

Operation of the latch from outside the car in the illustratedembodiment may be accomplished specifically by means of the mentionedpushbutton (not shown) acting from the left on the flanged upper portionof the operator or lever 28. Said button, like that designated 38 insaid patent, may be slidable in a fixedly mounting handle (not shown) onthe outer door panel. As shown in the patent, said handle may have anoverhanging or awning portion. The pushbutton may act through a push rod(not shown) which abuts said flanged upper portion of the pushbuttonlever 28 which is pivoted to the part 17 on a stud 29.

When the pushbutton is operated to open the door from outside the car,the push rod, acting against said flange on pushbutton lever 28, causesclockwise pivotal movement of lever 28 and consequent longitudinalshifting movement of the intermittent lever 31, so that the free end ofarm 33 engages the bent tab or angular portion 51 at the end of arm 52of multiplier lever 49, pivoting said multiplier lever in a clockwisedirection and the detent lever 22 in a counterclockwise direction, sothat the detent foot 26 moves out of blocking relation to cam 21 and thebolt or pin 19 is freely rotatable.

Such a lifting of the pawl 22 may also be effected by the inner doorhandle 60 which is connected to move the lower arm 54 of a bell-cranklever 55 pivoted to the second part 18 about pin 56. Said lever 55 hasan upper generally horizontal arm, not shown because it is behind thesecond part 18, overlying the right-hand lug 57 of litter 49. The spring23 when released restores the parts to the positions illustrated.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of my invention, I providefor the convenient operation of the lock means from the drivers side ofthe vehicle, or from the left-hand side where the vehicle is of thelefthand drive type. If the vehicle is one of the right-hand drive typeas in Great Britain, then the lock means to be operated would be on thefront door on the left, rather than that on the right, and the manualcontrol knob or push-pull button 58, here shown in FIGURE 1 on thelefthand end portion of the adshboard 59 of the vehicle 11, would becorrespondingly positioned on the right-hand end portion of thedashboard to project toward the drivers seat.

In the illustrated embodiment, however, I provide a push-pull cable 62with sheathing 63 in which it moves. Said cable is connected to thisknob 58, extends under the dashboard 59 along the interior of the car,and is fastened along the fire wall 64. The push-pull cable continues onthru the door post 65, thru the upper hinge 13 of the door, into andalong the door to the lock mechanism 15, whether it be that illustratedor one of another type, where it is, in this embodiment, connected to aboss 66. The boss 66 is here formed from a /z x A cylindrical brass orother metal section. A hole, such as one A in diameter, is formed inabout the center and transverse to the axis of the brass section toreceive the end of the pushpull cable 62 remote from the knob 58.Another hole 67 is formed to extend axially of the brass section 66 andtapped to receive a suitable fastener, such as a screw or the like,which is tightened to hold the section 66 on the lock mechanism and thepush-pull cable in place.

The brass section 66 is desirably attached to the door lock mechanism 15in the following way. A 7 clearance hole is drilled in the plate 38 ofthe door lock mechanism, or the corresponding member of a different lockmechanism, if used. A 7 set screw 68 is inserted thru this clearancehole and threaded into the tapped hole 67 on the end of the brasssection, as shown most clearly 4 in FIGURE 4. This screw is thentightened to hold the push-pull wire cable 62 in place, after properadjustment as to position. The screw 68 thus performs the doublefunction of securing the cable 62 and the plate 38 to the section 66.

When the knob 58 on the dashboard is pushed in, the cable slides in thesheathing 63 and the pushbutton 40 on the door lock on the door oppositethe operator is elevated or, in this form unlocked. When said knob 58 ispulled, the cable slides in the opposite direction in the sheathing andsaid pushbutton is depressed or, in this form, locked.

My invention permits the operation of a pushbutton 40 of a door lock bypressing down or pulling up on said pushbutton without using the controlknob 58 on the dashboard, in the presently existing normal fashion. Italso provides an inexpensive safety device for presently existing andfuture vehicles.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that my invention further permits adriver of the vehicle to operate the pushbutton mechanical safety doorlock to lock and/or unlock the opposite door while the vehicle is inmotion, without diverting attention from operating the vehicle. It willalso permit the elimination of the hazard of accidents by operators ofvehicles, caused by accidentially hitting the gas pedal while stretchingacross the width of the vehicle to lock and/or unlock the oppositepushbutton door lock.

My invention will further permit the elimination of the embarrassing andawkward physical contortions experienced in looking and/or unlocking theopposite door of a motor vehicle. It will also eliminate theinconvenience caused to the operator of the vehicle in locking and/orunlocking the opposite door.

Having now described my invention in detail in accordance with therequirements of the Patent Statutes, those skilled in this art will haveno difliculty in making changes or modifications in the kind of lock,the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meetspecific requirements of conditions, without departing from the scopeand spirit of the invention, as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a motor vehicle provided with an opening on the side remote fromthe driver, a door hinged to said side to close or aflord access to saidopening, said door having latch means to hold it locked, means tooperate said latch means, internal means for rendering said latch meansselectively operable or inoperable by said means, local control meansconnected to said internal means and disposed on the inner side of saiddoor, and a push-pull cable with one end also connected to said internalmeans for effecting a similar control of said latch means from thedrivers side of said vehicle, a manual control knob carried on the otherend of said cable, said cable traversing the distance from said knob tosaid latch means while passing under the dash board, through the upperhinge and through said door.

2. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, the latch means comprisingangular escutcheon plate on said door, a first part of which overliesthe free edge of said door and a second part of which extends over theinner surface of said door, a pivot pin passing through said first part,a latch device secured to the outer end of said pin for engaging acooperating door frame element when the door is closed, a rachet securedto the inner end of said pin, and a pawl with an arm which isspring-urged to normally hold said ratchet from turning.

3. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 2, the latch means comprisinga pawl lifter movable by said means to operate a pawl lock movablebetween pawl-engaging and pawl-releasing positions, a pawl lockoperating plate pivotally mounted on said second part so as to beswinga'ble between a position where it holds the pawl lock in lockingposition with respect to the pawl and where it raises said pawl lockfrom engagement with said pawl and the push-pull cable has its one endoperably connected to said plate.

-4. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 3, said operating knob whichis on the other end of said cable being installed on the drivers side ofthe vehicle after said cable passes through the door, the upper hingethereof, and traverses the distance under the dash board on the interiorof the vehicle while guided along the fire wall thereof.

5. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 1, a plate pivoted so thatwhen swung in one direction said internal means is positioned so thatthe latch means is operable and when swung in the opposite directionsaid internal means is positioned so that the latch means is inoperable,and the push-pull cable is connected through said plate to said internalmeans, so that pulling on said operating knob swings said plate torender the latch means inoperable and pushing on said knob swings saidplate in the opposite direction, rendering the latch means operable.

6. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 5, a boss provided with anaperture is formed on the interior face of said plate, said cable isinserted in said aperture, and a set screw is tightened to hold saidcable in place on said boss.

7. In a motor vehicle as recited in claim 6, the boss is formed as acylindrical metal member, the aperture is transverse to the axis of saidmember, and the member has an axial hole tapped to threadably engagesaid set screw which passes through said plate and into said member,performing the double function of securing said member to said plate andsaid cable to said member in adjusted position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,459,281 6/1923 Carter 292-1672,001,787 5/ 1935 Lakin -1- 262 2,612,397 9/1952 Stutt 292-166 2,648,3518/1953 Curtis et 211. r 137750 2,840,405 6/ 1958 Feltz et al 292-4222,843,018 7/1958 Cooper et a1 74-501 2,871,049 1/1959 Cockburn et al292-480 3,096,845 7/1963 Oishei et a] 112 3,243,216 3/ 1966 Peters292--201 RICHARD E. MORRE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 292-216

